FOOTY fans across Morecambe are packing their scarfs, sorting their tickets, and calling their mates to see if they've a spare space in their car.

And, after all the preparations, up to 1,000 of them will there to cheer on Morecambe FC at Oxford United in the Shrimps biggest games in years in the third round of the cup.

The fans, as you would expect, are rallying to the cause in a big way. Chairman of the Supporters' Association Alison Fleetwood was excited. She laughed: "We're all Morecambe daft in our house so we're going for it big time.

"The last time there was anything like this was against Hull City at Christie Park at the beginning of the '90s. It was an amazing atmosphere then and I reckon it'll be even better away. If we can get right behind the lads who knows what might happen."

Chairman of the club Rod Taylor was also enthused by the draw. He remembered the Hull City match and also the epic encounters with local rivals Lancaster in the cup a few years ago.

But he could cast his mind back to when Morecambe made it to the SECOND round of the cup in 1961. He said: "I can just about remember that. The first round was at Chester away and we won. The celebrations were tremendous. The second round was real disappointment because we got the only other non-league club left - I think it was Weymouth. We got beat and then the third round draw came up and we would have had Preston North End. That was really disappointing - Preston would have been something else. But this campaign isn't over yet."

Manager Jim Harvey said he and his players were determined to have fun on the day. He enthused: "It's a very big game for us and we've every chance in the world of winning. We'll go down and enjoy the occasion and give it everything we've got."

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